fact sheet | Jan 17, 2008

From Roe to Stenberg: A History of Key Abortion Rulings by the Supreme Court

Navigate this document Roe v. Wade The Post-Roe Court Casey and Stenberg Reproductive issues were largely a private affair early in American history. Although abortion was deemed illegal under English common law, the state rarely took any interest in prosecuting those cases that became public. Public attitudes changed dramatically in the early 19th century, driven […]

transcript | Jun 14, 2007

After Gonzales v. Carhart : The Future of Abortion Jurisprudence

Washington, D.C. On April 18, 2007, the Supreme Court handed down a major ruling on abortion rights, upholding the constitutionality of the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. The 5-4 decision in the case, Gonzales v. Carhart, upheld for the first time a law that bans a specific abortion method, and it did so even though […]

report | Jun 6, 2007

The High Court Upholds the Federal Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act

On April 18, 2007, the Supreme Court handed abortion opponents a major victory, ruling that the Federal Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act does not violate the constitutional right to abortion. The 5-4 decision charts a new direction for the high court and its abortion jurisprudence. Just seven years earlier, the court had struck down a […]

short reads | Jun 1, 2007

Abortion Middle Ground

That's the percentage of American adults who support finding "a middle ground" when it comes to abortion. Three-in-ten Americans believe "there's no room for compromise when it comes to abortion laws."

short reads | Apr 23, 2007

Oppose Making Abortion Less Accessible

That's the percentage of American adults who oppose making it more difficult for women to obtain abortions -- 35% favor such a move.

report | Apr 19, 2007

High Court Decision Could Raise Abortion’s Profile in Campaign

by David Masci, Senior Research Fellow, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Wednesday’s 5-4 Supreme Court decision upholding a federal law banning a controversial abortion procedure may dramatically raise abortion’s visibility in the presidential election campaign. The ruling, a victory for anti-abortion advocates, will almost certainly energize both sides in the abortion debate and […]

report | Apr 11, 2007

The Culture War and the Coming Election

April 11, 2007 by David Masci, Senior Research Fellow, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life The 2008 presidential election is still more than a year-and-a-half away, but some issues, such as the war in Iraq and health care, have already begun to define the contest. Others will emerge in the months ahead to catch […]

report | Nov 8, 2006

Split State Decisions on "Culture War" Issues

by Robert Ruby, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life November 8, 2006 Voters in South Dakota on Tuesday rejected what would have been the nation’s most restrictive law against abortion, and Arizona became the first state to defeat a ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage. Of the eight states where bans on gay marriage […]

transcript | Nov 2, 2006

Judicial Showdown: The Supreme Court Returns to the Abortion Debate

Washington, D.C. On Nov. 8, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases that challenge the constitutionality of the federal Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. The Act aims to prohibit a doctor from performing what the legislation calls a “partial birth” abortion unless a pregnant woman’s life is in danger. Is the law […]

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